Strong Hearts
by Ariel Tsuki
Summary: *Prologue* After nearly two years, Akito wants a compensation for letting Tohru stay with Shigure, Yuki and Kyou... Tohru Honda herself.
1. Default Chapter

Fruits Basket Fanfic:

Strong Hearts, Prologue

AN: HOEH! see, I told ya this sequel will be out right after FMC. I actually wanted to be long as upper teens- twenty parts… Oh well, it seems that Wondering Hearts will come out sometime in the summer… WARNING: Shounen-ai Alert. Shigure X Ayame, and other future couplings. DISCLAIMER: FURUBA and everything belonging to it isn't mine (if it was, Momiji and Hatori would be a canon couple…)

SN: It doesn't have a definite timeline… I assuming few months after Kureno's (the Chicken) appearance… 

  "Such a beautiful day, isn't it, Shigure?"

   A small songbird landed on a pale finger. The young man brought the songbird close to his face and gave it a light peck on its feathered head.

  "Very, but I don't think that reason enough for our family patriarch to call me from my house for, ne?" Shigure said with a smile on his face. The young man leered at him. 

  "Even I'm allowed to want company to share such a beautiful day like this, am I not?"

  "But someone as serious as you, Akito… I didn't think that you cared about such frivolous matters, especially you never called me over just for no reason before."

  Akito turned away and let the little songbird fly away. "Maa, maa, Shigure. It seems that you don't want to spend time with me? Rather spend it Ayame, ne?"

  Shigure just sat there in silence as kept the smile on his face.

  Akito got up from his perch on the sliding door as he walked over to Shigure. He bent to his knees and wrapped his arms around Shigure from the back.

  "Thought you can keep that from me, ne, Shigure?" Akito said in a cooing voice. "I thought that you knew that I have eyes everywhere. I even recite perfectly all the notions of your lovemaking, how you love to make that snake scream your name, how his beautiful white hair covered you both in those fits of passion. You usually are more careful than that. Has love made you weak, Gure-chan?"

  Shigure inwardly seethed at the casual tone that Akito used his nickname from Ayame, all with a smile still on his face. His Aaya… _Hmm, it seems that I put myself in a bind. Okay then. Let's approach this in a different way._ "I guess my hormones got the best of me, ne?" He said, confirming indirectly about his excursions with Ayame.

  Akito laid his head on the crook of Shigure's left shoulder. "I can see why anyone can fall such a beauty like Ayame. His beautiful, long white hair… his ivory skin... However, I think the best body part of Ayame is his golden eyes. No normal person has such eyes as he, na? To tell the truth, I once had a crush on the snake as a young child until, that as, I discovered how grossly self-centered he can be. Amazing how his little brother looks exactly like him. A much weaker, fragile version of him, that Yuki…" Akito said, his lips close to Shigure's ear.

   Shigure felt his inside twist with disgust, much so that he wanted to throw up, but he had to maintain his smile. He will not let the Sohma Head gain anymore ground than he already did. He will not let him break him… but…he never knew that Akito's weird obsession with Yuki stemmed from a simple childhood crush of his lover. _God, if Ayame found out, he would be laden with more guilt than he could bear. The burden of knowing that his beloved brother is the replacement from such a childish fancy, it'll kill him._ Shigure thought. He noticed that the first time in his life that he was in a real tight spot. _Amazing how this child can turn such a lovely day into a gloomy one._ Shigure thought with a wistful look that ephemerally appeared on his face, before replacing it with another smile. "Damn, Akito, I learn something new about you everyday. But even I person like myself know that the request for my visit is much more than a simple whim, especially you know how tight my schedule is. I have to plan new ways to tease my editor and all."

   Akito chuckled as he let go of Shigure and flopped himself on the tatami mat. "I see, I guess I should get to the point."

   Shigure inwardly frowned. Something's not right here…

   Akito stared at the view of the garden behind the opened shoji. The sun shining down among the flowers as bees waywardly fly to each blooming flowers. Akito smiled as Shigure turned to meet his eyes.

   "I want a compensation." 

   Shigure tried not to look confused. He could think of many reasons of what Akito wanted repayment for. His eyes widened as a growing fear appeared inside of him. Knowing Akito and his motives, one must be at least to know his opponent's desires to use for them for his own discretion. Oh god…

   Akito's simple smile turned dark, a smile that Shigure was all too familiar with. "I see you understood. You're a very smart boy, Gure-chan. I never doubted it." Akito just laid on the floor, returning his focus on the outside garden. "You may go now."

   "Well, we must meet like this again, Akito. Sayonara!" Shigure said with a gleeful voice as he bowed in front of his patriarch and left the house.

   As he passed the gate of Sohma Clan Residence, his smiling face turn into frustration. He can't believe that that presumptuous 'kid' invited him over just to up against him and shoving it in his face. That had to be one of the most humiliating experiences in his life. The need to be in his lover's arms overwhelmed his tired being. Aaya would whisper some assurances then let them be swallowed in the comfort of passion. Gods know that they need to spend as much time as they can before what disaster Akito planned will probably tear them apart. 

End of Prologue

Fic Created: 1/2003

Fic Finished and Revised: 3/1/2003

Second Revision: 4/27/03


	2. Farewell

Author's Note:

I'm sorry, but I hafta say that Strong Hearts you'll be expected will be no more. In a couple of weeks (or month) there'll be a different version of the story, which is better in my opinion, but has shoujo-ai (girls loving girls in THAT way). I could continued the way I was going, but I'm afraid it'll sound like all the other Akito/Tohru fics out there plus what happened recently in the Fruits Basket manga. Hopefully this version would be well recieved as this one. Sorry if you got your hopes up for another chapter (even though I had written a complete another chapter, oh well).

Ariel Tsuki


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